RootsChat.Com

Thanks again Zeppelin 321. That is, you are related through William (1888-1963) who married Elizabeth of Croesyceiliog Farm and became a milk vendor in Llanelli.
I haven't done any DNA testing but my first cousin did this and some Middle Eastern ancestry was disclosed. But 80 is a high percentage Welsh.
I thought I would be able to trace a link to David Marks (Ffynnon Ddrain) the mason / musician but I can't. During his time there was also a David Marks of Perthgygwenyn, Cilrhedyn but I can't work out his ancestry either. Clearly they all had common ancestors in the 1700's. There was a John Marks of Penygribyn, Cilrhedyn who owned land and made a will and who dates from well back into the 1700's -  he probably had brothers as most families were large.
They say the Marks name was common in the West Country well back into the 1500's so that could have been the source. There were (and presumably still are) identifiably Jewish Marks families in South East Wales but no such indications for the Carmarthenshire clan which mainly consisted of small subsistence farmers. (I have been able to get copies of the hymn tunes "Cannon St' and "Manchester" but haven't got around to working out how they go.)

Yes Scott, that all matches. Much of it is a matter of family knowledge, without having to work from census information. Thomas and Charlotte had 11 children all told.  Charlotte's parents were a David and Elizabeth of Penboyr, but the chances of finding the parents of Thomas look slim. Many thanks.

Thanks Osprey.  William and Sarah is the wrong line. It's William and Sophia - Thomas, my grandfather, was one of their children. They used the same names so often, but William and Sarah sound like the Pengribyn line and I'm unable to link that line to mine although I don't doubt that there is a link back there somewhere in the pre-1800's.

Thomas (1799-1880) and Charlotte (1810-93) Marks were my great great grandparents. Charlotte was from Penboyr. They lived first at Clun Yr Hwch, Cilrhedyn, then Danygraig, Meidrim. I have been unable to trace the parents of Thomas -  research gets difficult, maybe impossible, before 1800. They had 11 children including my great grandparent William.